Dandelion Fluff
by TardisBlueMermaid
Summary: Ariel discovers a new flower.


**(A/N- Here's a story I came up with back in spring when my yard was full of dandelions and that really had me thinking about them. I mean, what's so bad about them? I figured that they were a good thing for Ariel to discover in the human world because she would have a different opinion about them then most, like me. But, whether or not you like dandelions, I'm pretty sure you'll like this story. Enjoy!)**

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"Come on!" Ariel said as she dragged Eric up a hill. He had promise to take the princess on as many human adventures this spring as possible, and today's was a trip to a nearby hill that bloomed with flowers each spring. The meadow covered the whole hill with all types of beautiful flowers. It was always the most colorful hill in the kingdom.

Eric simply laughed. He loved seeing this part of Ariel. He loved the excitement in Ariel's eyes whenever she discovered something new which, luckily for him, happened pretty much everyday.

"We're here!" the mermaid exclaimed as soon as they reached the top of the hill. "This is such a wonderful view! Look at all of the flowers! Oh, Eric, aren't they just beautiful?"

"They certainly are," he said, although he was more fixated on watching his beautiful fiancée begin to pick flowers with an overjoyed expression on her face. Man, did he love her.

He sat down in the meadow, watching her continue to complete her small bouquet.

The mermaid added a daffodil to her collection. "Look! There are daffodils and daisies and bluebells and lilies and so many!" When Eric first told her about their upcoming adventure, the first thing she did was go to the library and learn about the most common flowers around. She loved how they were similar to flowers under the sea, but yet they were different in shape, color, texture, and even with their scent.

"They're so beautiful," she stated, walking over to sit next to Eric.

The second she sat down he pulled her onto his lap. "Not nearly as beautiful as a certain someone I know," he said, nuzzling her neck.

"Ugh, "Ariel half sighed and half giggled. "You say that way too many times. Do you really think that works on me anymore?"

"Judging by the way you're blushing, yes," Eric replied and before she could say anything else he pulled her into a kiss.

"I'm sorry," he said as he pulled apart and rested his forehead against hers. "I just can't wait to make you my wife."

"Just two more weeks," she whispered back and gave him a peck on his lips.

He continued to hold her as she picked the petals off the flowers and watched as the wind took hold of them, one by one, pulling them through the air.

 _Just two more weeks_ , Ariel thought. And then she could officially have what she fought so hard for just months ago: _Eric_.

Her excitement died down a bit as she settled into enjoying this peaceful time with her fiancé, while being at what possibly became her new favorite place.

When Eric lifted her face to put a daisy he picked in her hair, Ariel caught view of a flower she didn't recognize.

She crawled off of his lap, sat besides him, and picked it.

"What's this?" she asked, curiosity always getting the best of her.

"What, that? It's a dandelion. It's just a weed," Eric answered.

"Just a weed?" she asked. "But it's so pretty. It's a flower." How could a flower be a weed? Well, sure there were other flowers prettier than it, but Ariel thought that the petals on it were such a vibrant shade of yellow that they could brighten up anyone's day.

"Well, yeah," Eric replied. "They grow where they're not supposed to. I always hear the groundskeepers complain about them and how the mess up the grass when they're trying to keep it perfectly green."

Ariel thought a moment before replying, "Any wild flowers that grow where they're not supposed to are weeds. I'm sure half of these flowers are growing where they're not supposed to, like that poppy, or that bluebell. What makes this pretty dandelion different? I think it's lovely. It's like the sun. It could brighten up anyone's day."

Eric thought for a moment. She had a point. He could think of multiple flowers that were wild and grew wherever. Why didn't people frown upon those? Now that he thought about it, the dandelions weren't ugly or anything. Sure, they weren't elegant like roses or tulips, but they weren't really ugly.

The prince smiled. Leave it to his little mermaid to give something that humans frown upon a new opinion. She could make anything humans hate sound like something they should love.

"I guess you're right. They really could brighten anyone's day—just like you," he said, causing Ariel to blush as he gave her a kiss.

Ariel inspected the dandelion once more, and that's when she realized the sticky feeling on her hand. She dropped the flower and tried to rub off the weird, sticky feeling. She didn't know where it came from. The dandelion? What was it?

Eric knew right away what was wrong. "Sorry, I should have told you. Sometimes when the stem is broken it releases a sticky, white latex that gets on your hand. Don't worry, though. It will come off."

He took her hands and rubbed them a bit to get the stickiness off. "Better?" he asked.

Ariel nodded. "I guess that's one thing annoying about them, but I still like them."

"Oh, hang on. There's one more thing I have to show you about them. You'll love this one," he said, reaching over to pluck the first old and white dandelion he could find and handed it to her.

"What's this? A dandelion?" she asked. This couldn't be a dandelion. It wasn't yellow or pretty.

"Yes, it is. Once they get old, they dry up into seeds that blow off in the wind. That's why people complain about them. The seeds spread so quickly because of that, so they grow quickly and anywhere," he explained.

"Oh," Ariel said, absorbing all of this knew human information.

"That's not the only thing about the seeds, though. They say that if you blow them off and make a wish, it will come true," he also explained. He knew she would love this part.

And he was right. Ariel had a huge smile on her face.

"Really?" she asked. That was so fascinating. Humans had flowers that were actually weeds that granted wishes. The human world was so amazing!

"Go ahead," Eric urged her on. "Make a wish."

So she closed her eyes, made a wish, and blew, opening her eyes just in time to see the seeds carry her wish off into the air.

"So, what did you wish for?" Eric asked curiously.

"I can't tell you. If I do it won't come true."

Eric nodded in agreement. That was the rule.

"However," she added, "I'm pretty sure that if I tell you this wish, it will come true."

"So, what is it?"

"A kiss."


End file.
